Walking-around towns not far from Chicago
August 24, 2022 5:57 PM Subscribe
The Mr and I are wanting to do a day trip, not more than about a 90 minute drive from Chicago (and not in Chicago.) Where do we want to go?
I'm thinking maybe a town with a nice downtown area, cool little shops, good places to eat, nice place to stroll around. Or, I don't know... what else is there to do for a staycation-type thing?
What we want is somewhere we could drive to in 60-90 minutes, do some sightseeing or whatnot, have a light lunch, maybe a little shopping, an early dinner and home the same day. Or maybe someplace with a small cool museum that doesn't take all day to see.
Not Naperville or Wheaton. We're looking for something new to us. We're not really hikers either so probably not Starved Rock (although I don't mind nature as long as we don't have to trudge through miles of it to enjoy it.)
Where should we go?
I'm thinking maybe a town with a nice downtown area, cool little shops, good places to eat, nice place to stroll around. Or, I don't know... what else is there to do for a staycation-type thing?
What we want is somewhere we could drive to in 60-90 minutes, do some sightseeing or whatnot, have a light lunch, maybe a little shopping, an early dinner and home the same day. Or maybe someplace with a small cool museum that doesn't take all day to see.
Not Naperville or Wheaton. We're looking for something new to us. We're not really hikers either so probably not Starved Rock (although I don't mind nature as long as we don't have to trudge through miles of it to enjoy it.)
Where should we go?
Naperville is Wheaton is Geneva is Frankfort is Lisle is Winnetka is Libertyville is etc etc etc.
dis_integration is correct, the answer is Wisconsin. Two easy trips:
1) Lake Geneva. If it's still warm visit the public beach. Rent a boat. Go to Pearce's Farm Stand. Walk around the lakefront and downtown. Lots of restaurants. Take the long way back and visit Harmilda.
2) Kenosha. The town has made a bit of a comeback and has a walkable downtown. There's a cute natural history museum, a beach, a trolley car system (although that's closing for the season until May) Have lunch at the Boathouse. Cheese Castle on the way back. Pick up some New Glarus for the friends.
Advanced topics: Racine, Madison, Fish Creek / Sister Bay.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:20 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
dis_integration is correct, the answer is Wisconsin. Two easy trips:
1) Lake Geneva. If it's still warm visit the public beach. Rent a boat. Go to Pearce's Farm Stand. Walk around the lakefront and downtown. Lots of restaurants. Take the long way back and visit Harmilda.
2) Kenosha. The town has made a bit of a comeback and has a walkable downtown. There's a cute natural history museum, a beach, a trolley car system (although that's closing for the season until May) Have lunch at the Boathouse. Cheese Castle on the way back. Pick up some New Glarus for the friends.
Advanced topics: Racine, Madison, Fish Creek / Sister Bay.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:20 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
In the burbs (sorry if any of these are super obvious!): Geneva, Oak Park/River Forest, Evanston/Wilmette (with the Baha'i temple!), Winnetka, Long Grove, Highland Park, La Grange, I think Riverside is really wild and it's right by the zoo if you like that kind of thing
Further, within 90 minutes:
- Milwaukee for sure
- Kenosha if you can go for the farmer's market (otherwise not so much IMO)
- A lot of SW Michigan is this, New Buffalo is just about 90 minutes and very cute, and then it keeps being cute as you go north if you're up for a longer drive
- The Japanese Gardens in Rockford are super neat; I admit that the downtown didn't seem awesome but it was a while ago and maybe things have gotten nicer?
Even further:
- Cedarburg and Sheboygan/Kohler are ~2 hours but super cute and worth it!, in particular the new museum in Sheboygan if "vernacular outsider art of the upper midwest" sounds like a category that interests you
- on preview I see door county and you should def go there but it's like 4.5 hours away
posted by goodbyewaffles at 6:26 PM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
Further, within 90 minutes:
- Milwaukee for sure
- Kenosha if you can go for the farmer's market (otherwise not so much IMO)
- A lot of SW Michigan is this, New Buffalo is just about 90 minutes and very cute, and then it keeps being cute as you go north if you're up for a longer drive
- The Japanese Gardens in Rockford are super neat; I admit that the downtown didn't seem awesome but it was a while ago and maybe things have gotten nicer?
Even further:
- Cedarburg and Sheboygan/Kohler are ~2 hours but super cute and worth it!, in particular the new museum in Sheboygan if "vernacular outsider art of the upper midwest" sounds like a category that interests you
- on preview I see door county and you should def go there but it's like 4.5 hours away
posted by goodbyewaffles at 6:26 PM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
I've never been, but there's a Ray Bradbury museum in Waukegan. There's a lighthouse.
I do think Milwaukee is probably the obvious choice, though.
posted by hoyland at 7:03 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
I do think Milwaukee is probably the obvious choice, though.
posted by hoyland at 7:03 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
Take the Johnson Wax Frank Loyd Wright tour in Racine and then check out shops in downtown Racine and get a Kringle.
Go to Milwaukee and hit the art museum and the shops in the Third Ward. Get lunch at the Milwaukee Public Market, especially St. Paul's fish counter.
Madison is a somewhat further than 90 minutes, but totally worth it for an all-day walk around the University and town.
posted by Mid at 7:19 PM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
Go to Milwaukee and hit the art museum and the shops in the Third Ward. Get lunch at the Milwaukee Public Market, especially St. Paul's fish counter.
Madison is a somewhat further than 90 minutes, but totally worth it for an all-day walk around the University and town.
posted by Mid at 7:19 PM on August 24, 2022 [3 favorites]
Evanston is nice, has a decent farm produce shop, and a nice lake shore. It has other cool stuff also.
posted by amtho at 7:21 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by amtho at 7:21 PM on August 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
Can recommend the small old and pretty Fox River towns to the west - St Charles, Algonquin, West Dundee. The Fox River Trail is there too, a beautiful walk along the water. Plus there's the Kane County Flea Market ("Best in the Midwest or Anywhere!") on the first weekend of every month.
posted by pintxo at 1:20 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by pintxo at 1:20 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Came to say, Oak Park. If you're into that sort of thing, you can tour many Frank Lloyd Wright locations and walk past homes he designed; there are lots of neat shops and parks in walking distance. It's a great option.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:25 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:25 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Seconding the Fox River towns of Geneva/St. Charles/Batavia - cute downtowns with plenty of shops and restaurants and little parks along the river, including a small-but-lovely Japanese Garden (with limited hours). Personally, Geneva is my favorite of the 3 and has a viking ship. Batavia has a neat windmill . All of these have limited hours but you may be able to check schedules and line up a weekend visit.
Oak Park is a great option, too, with several small museums and a large, vibrant downtown area.
posted by writermcwriterson at 7:42 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oak Park is a great option, too, with several small museums and a large, vibrant downtown area.
posted by writermcwriterson at 7:42 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Nthing Oak Park - stop at Johnnie's in Elmwood Park for the best Italian beef.
Waterfall Glen in Lemont is an easy, paved hike. There is also a downtown in Lemont near the tracks - I haven't been in years but I think it's pretty cute.
posted by quadrilaterals at 8:45 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Waterfall Glen in Lemont is an easy, paved hike. There is also a downtown in Lemont near the tracks - I haven't been in years but I think it's pretty cute.
posted by quadrilaterals at 8:45 AM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
It's small, but Crown Point, Indiana, has an adorable town square. If you don't find food you want there, head over to Cedar Lake and get a bite to eat overlooking the lake.
You can also get to South Bend (Notre Dame) in about 90 minutes, depending on where you're coming from. You can take the train, too, though you might need bus or a rideshare once you get to South Bend.
You could also have a nice day checking out the Indiana Dunes, Beverly Shores, and the outlet store in Michigan City or Chesterton's downtown.
posted by hydra77 at 9:48 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
You can also get to South Bend (Notre Dame) in about 90 minutes, depending on where you're coming from. You can take the train, too, though you might need bus or a rideshare once you get to South Bend.
You could also have a nice day checking out the Indiana Dunes, Beverly Shores, and the outlet store in Michigan City or Chesterton's downtown.
posted by hydra77 at 9:48 AM on August 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Mr. eirias and I once went on an adventure to a spinning top museum in Burlington, Wisconsin. The proprietor locked us in the shop and wouldn't let us leave until she'd given us an hour-long reenactment of a minor role she had played as spinning top consultant for A Christmas Story 2. I recommend avoiding that place.
There are some cute towns on Lake Michigan that might fit the bill. The ones I've been to (Grand Haven, Holland) are outside your travel time window, but I have the sense that there are tons along the southeast coast that are all sort of in the same pattern: public access beaches, places to get ice cream, tiny downtowns, cute Victorian houses turned into B&Bs.
posted by eirias at 3:25 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
There are some cute towns on Lake Michigan that might fit the bill. The ones I've been to (Grand Haven, Holland) are outside your travel time window, but I have the sense that there are tons along the southeast coast that are all sort of in the same pattern: public access beaches, places to get ice cream, tiny downtowns, cute Victorian houses turned into B&Bs.
posted by eirias at 3:25 PM on August 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by dis_integration at 6:13 PM on August 24, 2022 [7 favorites]